


Don't Wait (It Will Be Too Late)

by Tomopi



Series: Kliego Week 2019 [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Diego has feelings, Hurt Klaus Hargreeves, Kliego Week 2019, Kliego week, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, No Apocalypse, Soulmarks, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-05 13:03:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18829210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tomopi/pseuds/Tomopi
Summary: "I just want for someone to see me.”, he explained, then added in a small voice: “Maybe even love me…”Diego huffed and stood up again to leave the attic.“People like us don’t get to have soulmates.”





	Don't Wait (It Will Be Too Late)

**Author's Note:**

> This is for day one of the very first Kliego week. the theme was Soulmates. And it was supposed to go up yesterday. Oh well, I'm just glad I finished the thing.
> 
> In this AU the Academy didn't get destroyed. Also, Klaus was in Vietnam, but never fell in love with Dave.

Klaus had always known that they were different than all the other humans. It was obvious, really. No one else had their so-called super powers. Personally, he found there was not a lot of super in their powers, at least in his and Ben’s powers. They were more curse than anything else, really. Who wanted tentacles bursting out of one’s body at any given moment if the self-discipline wasn’t good enough? In the end it had resulted in Ben’s death. And Klaus’ being haunted by his own brother because he was the only one who could still see and interact with him. Because Klaus could see and hear ghosts. What a great power he couldn’t control, constantly having ghosts running after him because they wanted him to help them, to save them, to do _something_. Which he couldn’t do. Because he had no control over his powers and ended up drugging his ass up to the moon in hopes of at least a few minutes of blessed silence (Which didn’t work. It never worked.)

              But as if their powers weren’t enough to label them as freaks – some more than others – there was another distinctive difference to every other human. You see, normal humans had soulmates. They had a tattoo somewhere on their body with their soulmate’s birthday and a symbol, something that defined them. It was something private, something to cherish and it was something that Klaus always regretted not having. He wished desperately for a person who at least would take some time out of their life to actually see him. Someone to maybe see past his ugly, junkie exterior. Even if nothing came from it, he wished for a person to try, even just for a few minutes. Because most of the time he felt as invisible as his beloved brother. Or maybe more like the other monstrous ghosts accompanying him wherever he went. He waited for the day when he wasn’t in between the world of the living and the dead anymore, but completely immersed in the ghosts he feared so much. It wouldn’t take long, he knew.

 

He didn’t think it would be that soon, though.

 

 

Vanya had powers. That was okay, in Klaus’ book. She didn’t see or hear ghosts, which was a plus. She went cold turkey on her pills, which was a minus. She was mad at them, which was understandable but dangerous for them, and thus another minus. For a second he was back in Vietnam when he heard the shooting noises but he got out of it fast, thank god. He hated those flashbacks and he knew he was suffering from PTSD, but he preferred not to think of that. He was a drug addict trying to really get clean for the first time in his life, had no home, no money, no life, no friends or family that cared about him. He really didn’t need to add PTSD to that list. Instead he turned around and ran into the theater. He could hear Ben’s shouting and he knew his brother was right. He hadn’t seriously fought in a good decade but he couldn’t just ignore that his family was in danger. They were the only ones he had left, despite the fact that they rarely saw him.

              The second he put a foot into the concert hall he reacted on muscle memory alone. He had to fight not to get overwhelmed by memories but he pushed the panic down, his family needed him. Slowly he robbed forward until he noticed his hands glowing brighter and brighter. Ben started to glow as well and suddenly his tentacles started to tear into their enemies. Klaus had only enough time to smile in fascination when a sharp pain pierced his back and went through to his chest, followed by the sound of a shot, just a little bit delayed. Ben’s glow disappeared again and with it his corporealness, leaving behind only pieces of unidentifying flesh. Klaus could hear his siblings scream and shout his name. He noticed how Vanya stopped playing her violin in his peripheral vision, but he was pre-occupied by the red spreading over his chest. “Oh.”, he mumbled in confusion, before he fell over. It was eerily silent and he wondered for a moment if his family just left him there to die. Because he knew he was dying, he could feel his mind slipping as it got colder. It was so cold, but he couldn’t even shiver. He felt weak. When someone’s hand landed on his arm and pulled him into someone’s arms the touch felt hot, almost burning.

“Klaus, Klaus, come on, don’t do this to me! Please, Klaus!” Klaus’ sight blurred and got rapidly darker, but that sounded like Diego. He seemed panicked. Why was he panicking? “’t’s ‘kay.  ‘m fine…”, he mumbled. He didn’t like it when Diego panicked. He wanted to roll him into a blanket burrito and cuddle with him in front of the TV when he panicked. Maybe eat ice cream with him or give him a new knife to cheer him up. He still had one hidden in the back of his closet he had bought with the money of his first ever real job. He never got to give it to him.

It got difficult to understand the frantic mumbling of Diego, or the shouting in the background. He tried to lift his arm to touch Diego, but he couldn’t lift his arm. “’m sorry…”

Sorry to be such a fuck up. Sorry to be a disappointment. Sorry to leave you alone. Sorry to never tell you the truth, he didn’t say.

 

 

**Shortly after Five disappeared and Ben died Klaus got into the habit to sit at the window in the attic and just stare outside when he happened to be semi-sober. He was pretty sure he hadn’t been anywhere near completely sober since Ben’s death. His family pretty much ignored him now, which was fine with him. He had Ben nagging him in the background most of the time, anyways. One day Diego came up the stairs, stared at him for a few minutes and then asked: “What are you doing up here?” “Thinking…”, he had mumbled as he grabbed a pencil and started to scribble down onto the windowsill.**

**Diego sat down next to him and stared out of the window. “What about?” A small shoulder-shrug, then: “Soulmates.” “Seriously? Our brother died and you have nothing better to do than muse about fucking soulmates?”, Diego exploded, his face a mask of disbelief.**

**“Ben is here. He’s sitting right next me. He doesn’t care if I think about Soulmates or what to eat for dinner.” “You are such an ass, Klaus. For once in your life take something seriously and don’t dream about bullshit you will never have!”**

**Klaus looked up, his gaze sad. He didn’t even acknowledge that Diego implied he was lying. “Why is it so wrong that I wish I had a soulmate? I just want for someone to see me.”, he explained, then added in a small voice: “Maybe even love me…”**

**Diego huffed and stood up again to leave the attic.**

**“People like us don’t get to have soulmates.”**

Diego frantically pulled Klaus closer while he simultaneously tried to stop the bleeding. “No. no. no, Klaus, please, come on, open your eyes, please!”, he mumbled. He didn’t even notice his other siblings killing the remaining attackers and then gather around him. After a few moments of his frantic mumbling Five kneeled down next to his two brothers and put a hand on Diego’s shoulder. “Diego, stop. He’s dead.” No one could look their dead brother in the face, his empty eyes staring up at the ceiling. A loud sob wrecked Number Two’s body as he pulled Klaus closer to himself, hot tears streaming down his face. The Hargreeves siblings had never seen him so devastated before, freely showing his feelings. It was an unsettling sight and some wondered if their lack of an emotional reaction made them cruel. Only when Diego’s sobs couldn’t be heard anymore did they come closer. Alisson and Vanya’s eyes were red like they shed a few tears as well and kneeled down right and left from Diego, where they proceeded to pull him into a hug. He didn’t seem to register what they were doing, still grabbing onto Klaus and begging him to open his eyes again, his voice almost inaudible. Luther seemed to be the most uncomfortable in the situation, couldn’t bring himself to show too much emotion. He had never felt too close to Number Four and had never really cared about him. It was sad that he had died, but Luther had waited to hear the news of Klaus overdosing ever since he left their home. It just had happened in a different way than expected. Five on the other hand felt like he had disappointed their brother. He had come back to save all his siblings, Klaus included, and despite the fact that they had stopped the apocalypse from happening he still felt like they had failed.

He stared down at his brother, felt like he owed him to look at him, when he noticed it. At first he thought he imagined it but then it happened again. He raised his hand to shake Diego’s arm, his eyes never leaving Klaus’ hands. “Diego. Diego!”, he said loudly. He was scared to look away, that he might be imagining things.

Diego looked up from where he had his face buried deep in Klaus’ locks. “What?”, he sobbed, his fingers still clinging to the body in his arms. “His hands are shaking!”, Five exclaimed and all their siblings shuffled closer in surprise, all eyes on the hands, which were indeed shaking.

“Klaus?”, Diego asked, his voice small and weak, scared. Suddenly Klaus whole body convulsed, and they could hear him gasp for air. Just as fast the body calmed down again and Klaus was calmly breathing, eyes closed and body limp. The siblings just stared for a moment. “We should bring him to the Academy. Mom will check if he’s okay.” It took a few moments after Five’s words for them to move, but in the end they were on their way to the Academy. Diego carried the unconscious body the whole way.

 

 

It was cold. So, so cold. Klaus could feel his shivering deep in his bones, but he was too exhausted to move, to ask for another blanket, anything. The cold was so deep, his bones were hurting. His torso felt like one giant bruise and he could feel his right wrist burning. There were voices in the background talking in hushed tones, something was beeping and someone was holding his right hand, periodically stroking over his burning wrist. He wanted to open his eyes or say something, but he just felt tired.

He must have fallen asleep again at some point because the next time he woke up again he managed to open his eyes. There were no voices, but the beeping was still there. Someone was still holding his hand and he could feel a weight resting on his forearm. Again, he wanted to say something, but opening his eyes was too exhausting for him already. He was asleep in moments again.

Loud shouting woke him the next time. He didn’t understand what was said, But he recognized Luther’s and Diego’s voices. Then Five, Allison and almost inaudibly Vanya. Yay, all his siblings were there, albeit a bit loud. It took him a bit, but he managed to open his eyes and turn his head to the side to look at his siblings standing there. “’iego…”, he whispered, then a bit louder “Diego.” The shouting stopped and everyone turned around to look at him. Diego was kneeling next to his bed in a split second, one hand holding his hand tightly, while the second hand stroke carefully through his hair.

“Hey, Klaus. How are you feeling?” Klaus felt the urge to close his eyes and push into the caress, but he knew he would fall asleep again if he did that now. “Thirsty…”, he mumbled instead. And he was hurting all over, but he wouldn’t say that out loud. The next moment Vanya stood next to them, a cup with a straw in hand. Although Klaus was still weak he managed to take a few small sips. “What happened?”, he asked with a weak voice. The last thing he remembered was Ben becoming corporeal and then disappearing again. His eyes flittered around the room for a second until they settled on Ben sitting on one of the tables, a concerned but relieved look on his face.

“Y-you died. You got shot and you died. And then you came back.” Klaus needed a moment to understand what he was told. That would explain his hurting torso. “Oh.” That didn’t explain his burning wrist though. He slowly turned his wrist until he could see the burning spot. There, black on his almost translucent skin was his birthday tattooed. His birthday and a knife. “What- How?” His question was quiet, but it almost echoed in the otherwise silent room.

Diego shrugged, then mumbled: “We don’t know for sure, but we have a theory. You died. You honest to god died. And then you came back. In a way you were born again. And you got the soulmark you always wanted.” For a few moments Klaus just stared at his wrist. “It’s you.”, Diego nodded. “I know.” “Do you hate me now?” Diego’s brows furrowed and he only noticed in passing how Alisson herded their siblings out of the sick room. “No, why would I? I’m happy that I’m your soulmate.” Klaus looked up at those words. “You are?”

Diego smiled and pressed a soft kiss to Klaus’ lips. It was over so fast, Klaus almost didn’t registered it in his exhausted brain. “You are a pain in the ass sometimes, but you are my pain in the ass. I never showed you how much I care before, but I’ll change that. As long as you stay away from danger!”

Klaus smiled and weakly pulled on Diego’s shirt to tell him to kiss him again.

“No dying on my part again. Promise.” He would even try to hold the promise for once.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this. I have ideas for all of Kliego week, but I don't think I'll manage to write and post the stuff during this week. Uni and work are kicking my butt.


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